Early Morning Fire Response
As you may have heard, things got busy very early this morning when sadly, a two-alarm fire broke out at the old feed store on First Avenue North and Smith Street right next to Kent Station.
There was a significant response from authorities all over the region, including Kent Police, Puget Sound Fire, Renton Fire Authority, Valley Regional Fire Authority, King County Medic One, Tukwila Fire Department, Fire District 20 and South King Fire.
Train and bus routes around Kent Station were delayed and nearby streets were blocked off during the response. Service has since been restored.
While it was definitely a scary situation, I am so glad that no injuries were reported.
I want to thank all of the first responders for their incredible job isolating and extinguishing the fire and keeping people safe.
I also want to thank our Public Works Water Division, whose work to maintain our fire hydrants and water systems ensured our firefighters could stabilize and put out this fire.
I also want to thank our Signs crew for their work to redirect traffic and keep drivers away from the hazardous situation.
There's some great information in this week's update about upcoming holiday events, our 2023-24 Budget, board and commission openings and more.
Hope you enjoy and have a fantastic weekend!
Dana Ralph, Kent Mayor
Weekly Roundup
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On Sunday I had the honor of welcoming to Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to the United States, on behalf of the City of Kent!
He spoke about the the depth of the relationship between the U.S. and India. I'm proud of the cultural and economic richness our Indian American residents bring to Kent.
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Republic Services route changes went into effect this week, there has been a change in some service areas.
Postcards with your collection day and week change were mailed several weeks ago.
If you have questions about this service change, please call 206.682.9735 or visit RepublicServicesKent.com.
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Earlier this week I had the honor of being elected to the HopeLink Board of Directors for a three year term.
Hopelink partners with families and individuals experiencing poverty in north & east King County, and offers nine comprehensive support programs.
The transportation hub for HopeLink is based in Kent and I'm looking forward to continuing to be a part of this work.
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The landscape mural is up at the West Hill Reservoir!
This new reservoir will provide additional water storage necessary for fire services to keep our community safe, and help make sure the City’s growth needs are met over the next couple of decades.
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2023-24 Adopted Biennial Budget
Since the Kent City Council's unanimous adoption of the 2023-24 Biennial Budget, our team has been working on content to help keep you and other residents informed about where all that money comes from, and what it's going toward.
There is a tremendous demand for city services in Kent.
Our job as city leaders and public servants is to remain fiscally responsible, anticipate future challenges and keep our city moving forward. This budget accomplishes all of these objectives.
I'm proud to say that our Finance team received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.
This demonstrates our dedication to financial responsibility and transparency, and I'm excited to share some of the key takeaways from the budget with you over the course of the next few weeks.
When you think about local government, the City's General Fund is the bucket that finances the majority of the services that come to mind.
You can see the breakdown on where that money in the budget comes from in the chart above.
Public Works Infrastructure
The 2023-24 Adopted Budget includes a substantial amount of regional grant funding for Public Works that will be put toward infrastructure improvements around Kent.
Projects include things like levee upgrades, new sidewalks, street improvements, pedestrian crossings, habitat restoration, waste management and more.
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Parks & Recreation
The 2023-24 Adopted Budget also includes funding for renovations and improvements to parks all around Kent!
It’s important to us at Kent City Hall to provide safe and inviting facilities, as well as meaningful, inclusive and diverse recreational programs and cultural activities.
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Human Services
The 2023-24 Adopted Budget includes considerable funding for Kent's local Human Services partner organizations, which provide a variety of critical services.
Our Human Services division strategically aligns our investments across programs and funds to maximize community impact and fill gaps in service.
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Holiday Tree Lighting & Parade
Everyone who attended had an amazing time at our annual Holiday Tree Lighting and Parade over at Town Square Plaza last weekend!
We had lots of community groups come out to celebrate with us and participate in the parade, along with a bunch of festive decorated cars and fleet vehicles, city and community booths with prizes and activities, and of course the tree lighting to top it off!
You can check out our recap video here.
5K/10K Christmas Rush Fun Run & Walk
We're celebrating our 40th Annual Christmas Rush 5K/10K Fun Run & Walk tomorrow!
📅 Saturday, December 10
⏲ 9:50 a.m.
📍 Hogan Park, 25500 Russell Road
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Vote on the Best Gingerbread House
Come see the gingerbread houses on display at Kent Station and vote on your favorite! Prizes will be given to the 3 houses who receive the most votes!
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2022 Santa Photos at Santa's Cozy Cottage
Santa is back at Kent Station! Photos are by appointment, and you can visit the Kent Station website to reserve your spot. Walk-ins will be accepted if time allows.
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Kent Station Giving Tree
Kent Station is collecting gifts for Communities in Schools of Kent, who will be distributing them to students in the Kent School District.
From now through December 23, bring your unwrapped gifts and leave them in the drop box outside Johnny Rockets.
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Winter Parks & Recreation Guide
Check your mailbox for our new Winter Recreation Guide—registration is now open!
We have so many great programs and opportunities for fun this Winter season for youth, adults and seniors alike.
Our team made sure to include all of the information you need as you look through the catalog to find something that you and your family can enjoy.
From health and fitness programs, to cultural arts performances, to music lessons and more, there’s a wide variety of offerings and something for everyone.
So take some time to look through everything our Parks Department has to offer—our staff members love what they do and really make these experiences unforgettable.
If you haven’t received your guide in the mail yet, you can check out the digital copy on our website.
Apply for Boards & Commissions!
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If have a love of arts and culture and are interested in serving the Kent community, apply to be on the Arts Commission! Applications are now being accepted.
The Kent Arts Commission advises the City Council in areas such as establishing cultural opportunities and arts education, improving Kent's quality of life and promoting Kent as a center for great arts.
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Our Land Use & Planning Board is looking for new members, and applications are now being accepted!
Members participate in workshops and public hearings on city codes and ordinances and advise the Council on code updates and regulations.
If you have any questions, please contact Kristen Holdsworth atKHoldsworth@kentwa.gov or 253-856-5441.
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Small Business Flex Fund
Kent-based small business owners can still apply for the Small Business Flex Fund, a fixed rate loan if you are in need of working capital or looking to grow your business.
This program is supported by the Department of Commerce and features interest-only payments for the first year, with interest rates fixed as low as 4% for small businesses, and 3% for nonprofit organizations. Applications close mid-February 2023.
Complete the short pre-application at SmallBusinessFlexFund.org to get started.
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